Is the boatowners "wave" operational in all parts of the world ?

Entering a harbour on one's yacht gives the opportunity to wave at poor people.

Reminds me of a @sailorman quote many moons ago.

We were both in Ostend for the 'Oostende voor Anker' maritime festival.
Having a beer (one of several) on the YC veranda in the sun looking at our respective boats and the ant-like masses along the quay.
And then out of nowhere comes: 'I wonder what the poor people are doing right now'.

Will remember that to my dying days.
 
Entering a harbour on one's yacht gives the opportunity to wave at poor people.
The most attention we got was when we first visited Poland, in 2004. Any yacht was a curiosity to the locals, who would crowd round us at the quayside. If we liked the look of them we would let the odd one come aboard with their child so that their other half could take a photo of them in exotic surroundings. Foreigners generally seem to have a more natural view of sailors, not obviously tinged with envy, like the yoof here who will as soon chuck stones at your boat than engage their brains.
 
It's a bit hit or miss in the South of France.
In Winter, everyone waves (back) - in Summer it's about one in two.
Solo sailors ALWAYS wave to each other.
The wave that says "hello, isn't life great on the water "

Still fully operational on the East Coast.

Not so popular in Holland, but Dutch visitors seem to love doing it in UK waters and are often initiators.
In Portugal it’s done
 
Those heading in to Lymington in the summer may find themselves waved at with a sword, and the cry ‘ah-harrrr’. Watch out for the boat flying the jolly roger. We counter this by carrying our own swords to wave back with.
 
I used to think there was a pecking order for waving, at a time when boats were roughly 8 metre, 10 metre or ginormous, so that boats would wave at any craft one category removed from their own but not two, meaning that 10 metre boats had to wave at everyone. Nowadays nobody seems to know their place and the tiniest boat will wave at a fifty-footer whether or not it is wearing a white ensign.
 
I used to think there was a pecking order for waving, at a time when boats were roughly 8 metre, 10 metre or ginormous, so that boats would wave at any craft one category removed from their own but not two, meaning that 10 metre boats had to wave at everyone. Nowadays nobody seems to know their place and the tiniest boat will wave at a fifty-footer whether or not it is wearing a white ensign.
I have a special extra wave to those that give way in good time and you can still see the helmsman
 
Dinghy sailing from Discovery Bay, Hong Kong with a three-year-old crew many years ago we were often close to the ferry port and encouraged the youngster to wave to the ferry. He tried a few times and then gave up saying "Nobody ever waves back!"
 
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Dinghy sailing from Discovery Bay, Hong Kong with a three-year-old crew many years ago we were often close to the ferry port and encouraged the youngster to wave to the ferry. He tried a few times and the gave up saying "Nobody ever waves back!"
The difficulty of sailing with children is in restraining them from waving at all and sundry, including jet skis.
 
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